The Merchant of Scylist
by The Silvercat
Summary: Rihana has longed to escape the isle of Scylist, but it is not only her fear of the ocean that stands in the way. Down, down into the deep, a shadow stirs. Title subject to change. R&R, please.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: **A failed Redscape applicant. I felt she deserved her own story.

**Chapter 1**

Rihana had always prided herself on her gift to read creatures. Even as she touted her wares – "The freshest salted pork on this side of the sea!" – she scanned the market for troublesome beasts. The shrieking of a dissatisfied noble stoat soon reached her ears, and she grinned as the rival shop owner held out his paws and shook his head in response to her tirade.

"Oysters! Oysters! You shan't find anywhere else! The flightless chicken for just four coppers! You want it, I got it," she called, her higher voice carrying over the low hum of male growls.

"Shouldn' ye be at home taking care o' the kits?"

Rihana fastened her brown eyes on him and was pleased when he wilted under the intensity. "And let you miss out on these great prices? Not on your life, sir!" A quick flash of her canines in a rapacious smile sent him scurrying into the crowd.

"There all sorts t'aint there, miss Rihana?

"Always, Rinault. The usual then?"

"Aye, pretty lady. Put in a couple o' those oysters while yer at it," Rinault was an older weasel who appeared not to have a single part of his body free from battle wounds. One even sliced across his face, shutting an eye forever. As he counted out change with a chipped claw, she carefully wrapped his package.

"Only seven coppers this time. Special 2-fer-1 on the oysters for my most loyal customer!"

"Oh, ye don't have ta do that, miss. I wanna keep me favorite stall in business."

"Please, Rinault. It's on me." She fluttered her eyes and gave him a much kinder smile than the rat.

"Ye drive a hard bargain, miss. Thankee, Rihana."

"Certainly, Rinault," she replied and when he had vanished into the crowd, she shook her head in amusement. He would be back before sun down for more of those oysters if she could read him at all. Such was life on the island city of Scylist.

The pine marten carefully straighted out her low cut tunic and smoothed her auburn fur down on her head, while she waited for more regulars to make their weekly rounds. Just as she took a handkerchef to dab her nose – which was irritated by the salt in the air – she saw them. The fox had fur so vibrant and healthy she would've thought him among the nobles that lived on the hill. It was the swagger, the sword at his belt, and the weasel lackey tailing him that almost caused a low groan to escape her.

_The scoundrels have come into port, _she thought and did her best to simply go about her business, hoping she might blend with the crowd. As she called to the crowd again, sweeping her gaze back and forth over it she happened to lock eyes with the fox and her stomach clenched. _Oh hellgates!_

She pretended she hadn't noticed them, but all too soon the fox was towering over her with a disgusting leer near splitting his face.

"Yew call this good?" A ragged fox snatched up an egg from a crate in the front. Behind him, a weasel sniggered.

"Most certainly, sir," Rihana said. She continued to smile genially and her hazel eyes fluttered at him in sweet innocence, but behind the stall her paw flexed into a fist as she seethed inwardly. "I shan't accept nothing but the best in my shop!"

"There's a crack in it!" The fox split the outside with a claw. He leaned in toward her with a rapacious grin and—curse her hide!—she flinched. Wrinkling her nose and recoiling from the beast's foul breath.

_You fool,_ she berated herself, _now he'll walk all over you!_ Her eyes lost their warmth as she watched the fox's grin grow as he messily snapped down on it, eating eggshell and all. Bits of egg and yolk flecked her face which she wiped off with a dainty swipe of her paw, but rage boiled beneath the surface. "Sir, you're going to have to pay for that." The smile was gone and a hard, fearless expression now directed all of her fierce energy straight into the fox's eyes.

The fox merely snorted and popped in another egg to eat. The third one he plucked from its carton, he tossed at Rihana, striking her on the bridge of her snout. One paw reached for her snout, but her other reached for the curved dagger in her belt.

"What is all this commotion here?"

Rihana hastily slipped her dagger back into its sheath. A black-pawed ferret guard had stolen up on the scene and now stood between them, spear in paw. A second ferret lingered nearby, watching carefully.

She swallowed nervously, and tried to sound casual. "Nothing, sir, this fox was just going to pay me ten coppers for the eggs he just ate," she replied, picking the mess of eggshell and yolk that had broken at her paws and holding it aloft for the guard to see.

"That's a lie!" The fox quickly grabbed the hapless weasel who was sidling away and shoved him towards the guards. "It was him that ate the eggs! Not me!"

"N-no, sirs, I didn' do it. I swears."

"Ten coppers is steep for even three eggs," the guard said, ignoring the weasel and looking down at the crushed egg in disgust.

"He threw it at me," she replied stiffly, flicking her eyes over to the fox. He bared his teeth in a hideous expression and she struggled not to smirk back at him.

The senior ferret deliberated for a moment, and then he nodded and gestured with his spear at the fox and said. "Well, pay up! We will not tolerate any attempts to swindle our good citizens of their due profit."

Victory! Rihana wanted to howl with laughter, but instead she shot a nasty grin at her opponent when the ferret looked away.

The fox dug through a pouch at his side and bad-temperedly slapped ten coins down onto her counter. "We ain't finished here, marten. Yer goin' to regret this," he muttered out of the corner of his mouth.

Beneath her false bravado, Rihana felt her stomach drop into her paws and she was certain her skin had paled under her fur, but she stood her ground, glaring balefully back at him.

After a few long moments the fox nudged his companion and turned away, and as they disappeared Rihana slumped onto the counter of her store. _Stupid, bloody beasts. There seems to be no end to them._ It made her job easier, but it also took the joy out of living. There was no feeling more gratifying than when she successfully maneuvered through the dangerous waters of persuasion, to leech creatures out of every penny in their pocket.

_I wish I could leave this hellish rock._ Rihana peered longingly out toward the ocean resided, even as she felt the dark stirrings of fear in her heart and felt her fur stand on end. The money for passage was not the only reason that stood in her way. The water seemed so peaceful and calm, sloshing and gently lapping the shore, but she knew the ocean as a patient beast. It waited for any creature foolish enough to attempt to master its ebbs and tides, before it mercilessly tore apart their vessels.

Among the pirates were occasional merchants and captains who often toured the seas and it was a local pastime to hear their stories of the land beyond. More than one had spoken of a creature, a great beast that overstretched their vessels, which had a tendency to render ships apart during the squalls that beat on their doors. It chilled Rihana to the bone, imagining all those poor sailors – and even pirates! – who met their fate to that horrible beast.

Rinault scoffed at such talk. "Jus' superstition, miss. Don' ya worry yore pretty head over those bedtime stories."

Despite his words, Rihana could not quell the expectation or the fear whenever she looked out at the deep blue.

She had been born on this rock and it seemed she was going to die there as well. Her heart stuttered at the thought and she determinedly drew herself up. _No! I must master my fears, because I shan't be kept here forever!_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Are ye ever goin' ta get off this rock, Rihana? Ye've been complainin' about it fer seasons," Diraeus asked before he gulped the rest of his ale.

"Someday I will," Rihana muttered, swirling the ale in her own cup. The day had ended with a storm sweeping in and drenching the city. She had tried to pull her wares into her wooden house as quickly as possible, but an entire crate of salted pork had been saturated and she was now attempting to dry it out by draping it throughout her single room. It was bound to smell like pork for weeks.

"Ye'll be sayin' that at the same table here seasons after yore teeth have fallen out," Diraeus replied with a chuckle.

"I will leave. Ye just watch."

"I hope ye do," he said with a seriousness she thought he had drunk away. He was another pine marten, born on the hill to a wealthy trader who had a strong friendship with the Mayor. He dressed in a finely woven black tunic which complimented his dark brown fur, the envy and loathing of all the noble families—for his father's power and prestige and for his own propensity to mingle with the commoners. He and Rihana had come to a cordial agreement: he would continue to put up with her complaints of Scylist and she would play along with his attempts to be rustic.

"Thank you. One of the few things ye've said that agrees with me."

He grinned again and his green eyes seemed to sparkle at her from the flickering light of the wall sconces. "Always, Rihana."

She tilted her head in puzzlement and scanned his eyes for his thoughts. As clear and bright as they were, she could see nothing beyond his usual good humor.

"Oy, you two stop wit the starin'. Ye look like dead fish in the market," Gelise said with a snap of her claws.

Rihana flinched and sighed at the ratmaid's shrill voice. _If only she weren't Bressler's daughter, _she thought glumly, having attempting more than once to subtly push the little Devil away, only to turn around and be met by the hulking form of her father, the barkeeper. The rat was a nice fellow, but they would soon be short of a decent tavern if Gelise said even a single word against them.

"Dead fish have stunning green eyes?" Diraeus asked in mock surprise. Rihana snorted, but she was grateful for the interruption. This was not the first time she had been caught in a staring match with him. Rinault still teased her about it.

Speak of the Devil. Rinault chuckled and said, "Wot have I told you two already? Quit wit' the jabberin' and say somethin' to one another. Yer wasting precious time."

"Not again, Rinault. Don't. I _will_ rot my time away on this island 'afore I be with him," Rihana said with a pointed glare at Diraeus

"I'm hurt," the marten said, putting a paw over his heart in mock indignation. Finally he pointed and said, "Ye ever goin' ta drink that?"

Rihana had been staring again, but into the depths of the cup this time and she looked up to glare at Diraeus. "I paid for it with me money. Don't ye worry about me," she replied.

"Pardon me," he replied, the twang coloring his words disappeared in favor of his educated voice. "You've been even quieter than usual. Have a bad day?"

"When don't I?"

"True. You certainly have a certain tendency to complain about one thing or another, but your complaints today have been particularly half-hearted. A lover die?"

She rolled her eyes. "How long have ye known me? Have I had a lover yet?"

"I don't know. Have you?"

"The last Marten that tried to take things further than I liked left with his tail 'twixt his legs and a bloody nose."

"I believe it."

"Ye should," Rihana said with a nasty grin at him.

"I always knew ye had fight, Ree," said Elena, a cream-colored ferret with sooty paws who was dividing her time between their table and another. "But I didn' know ye liked bein' angry. I know ye ran into trouble wit' some pirates. I saw it all. I thought ye were goin' to gut the bloody oaf," she said with a throaty chuckle, taking no heed of the daggers Rihana was glaring at her.

"Can no beast keep their gobs shut?!"

"O' course not, Rihana. I'd already heard the same thing." Diraeus replied.

Rinault sighed and raised his paw. "I told 'im." This elicited another eye roll from Rihana.

"Ye okay?"

"I'm fine," she said, "Nothin' out o' the ordinary. Ye know this happens with every port o' the pirate ships."

"Perhaps, but 'tis still serious." Diraeus suddenly grinned and said, "One version I heard said ye jumped over yore stall and scratched the fox's face up real nice."

Rihana grinned in return. "I almost did. The real version is tame. Nothin' to get yore whiskers atwirl."

"Aye? Then tell!"

"Well, I –" Raucous laughter suddenly erupted outside and everyone turned to see the commotion. Rihana felt the blood drain from her face and her heart stuttered painfully in her chest as the fox from earlier, tailed by half a dozen other vermin, stumbled into The Sea Nymph's Lagoon.

She suddenly found herself crouching by her chair, breathing raggedly as she continued to observe the band of pirates as they called for another round of drinks. Conversation had completely fallen by the wayside as the pirates walked further in, parting the crowd like sharks cruising through a school of fish.

"Where'd Rihana go?" Gelise suddenly asked and Rihana saw Diraeus' tail twitch.

"Shh!" His wasn't the only voice to silence her as they watched the crowd. She thought she heard the _tap-tapping_ of someone nervously clicking their claws against the rough-hewn tables.

It wasn't long before Rihana began to shift restlessly. Her fear had long worn off, and she began getting annoyed at the cramped position she'd squeezed herself between the table and the two sets of legs on either side of her. The air was becoming heated and stuffy as she continued to bide her time until she felt she might die without a breath of fresh air and soon started to crawl her way out from under the table.

Rihana slowly poked her head above the table to glance at the pirates.  
All she could see were their backs at the bar as they were fully engaged in demanding drinks from the barkeeper, Bressler. Movement to the right caught her attention and she noticed a few more pirates had entered and scared up a table as well.

"Wot are ye doin' Rihana?" Gelise asked again, not at all bothering to keep her voice down.

Diraeus slapped the table to get her attention, "Quiet, Gelise! We can't let the pirates see her. Ree, you can make it out the door if you keep crouched own," he said to the pine marten, al trace of an accent now vanished in the urgency of the situation.

She nodded and soon began crawling along the dirt floor, darting from table to table. Most of the beasts just stared when she'd briefly poke her head up to scope the pirates. She was just one table short of the exit when another fellow merchant noticed her next to him and asked in a slurred voice, "Wot 'n Hellgates ya doin'?"

"Shh! Shut her trap, Peregrid—"

She gasped when suddenly her left arm was twisted back painfully and she found herself face to face with the fox. "Well, I'll be damned. It's the wench from earlier. 'Ar boys! Wot say we take 'er aboard and 'er what it means ta 'ave proper manners."

"Aye, Captain!"

Her blood roared in her veins at the words and she twisted her arm back from his grasp and pulled her paw back a swipe. At the connection the fox howled and clutched at his face, and then he glared murderously at her as he pulled his paw back to find blood on his paws. Four distinguished claw marks slowly filling with blood arced across his cheek and Rihana stared back in shock.

"That's it my pretty. I swears to ye, I'll slice your stomach open and hoist ye up the mast to be our new flag, tied their by yore own guts," he pulled his sword out and advanced on her, raising it up to the ceiling in motion to carry out his thread.

_Chunk!_

The fox's sword clattered to the floor with the fox next to it and several broken pieces of chair clutched in Diraeus' paws. "Rihana!" She glanced up from the fox and was shocked to see the fire burning in her friend's eyes. "Run!"

All feeling at once returned to her paws and she lunged for the door. At the same moment, a collective roar of anger erupted from the stunned pirates and they scrambled up with their swords out to avenge their captain's assailant. Rihana stalled, glancing back at the wave of pirates and Diraeus who stood out in front, the target of them all, but he didn't wait long. He ran past Rihana, grabbing her paw as he went to drag her out the door with him.

"C'mon, let's go!"

They pelted down the cobblestone streets, paw-in-paw, rounding corners and cutting through alleyways to put as much distance between them and the pirates as they could manage. Finally they stopped at the lip of an alley to catch their breath and Diraeus glanced down the street but found all was quiet. Only a few beasts were out on the streets and guards toured the area in pairs.

"We've lost 'em. With any luck the guard will have those pirates confined to the docks by morning," he said as he leaned against a wooden wall and grinned.

"Music to me ears," Rihana muttered. As she recovered her breath, she studied Diraeus in the moonlight. Just as in the tavern his eyes glittered in the dark and she could see that despite the run, his claws twitched and his tail swept the ground wildly as though he were itching for another fight. "Diraeus." He turned abruptly to her. It took her a moment but she finally said, "Thankee fer yore help back there."

He grinned. "Well, 'o course. I shan't gonna let any pirate harm a friend o' mine if I have anything to say about it."

She smiled and then chuckled, "I don't suppose we'll ever be let into the Sea Nymph's Lagoon again."

"Fantastic. No more Gelise!"

"I s'pose, but Bressler was an all right sort."

"We'll find somewhere else ta gather if'n he don't want us there no more. C'mon, we best get ye home. Do the pirates know where ye live?"

"My shop shan't far from my doorstep. Ye think it's safe?"

He hesitated momentarily and then he nodded and said, "They won't have gotten past the guards. Let's go!" He didn't reach for her hand again like he had at the bar, but now they walked down the streets side-by-side as they made their way to the Market's Quarters.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Notes: **Sorry this took so long to get to you. It's been sitting on my hardrive for about a month, too, I just got busy with other things. Anyway, enjoy! Hopefully next chapter won't take as long.

**Chapter 3**

Rihana slept very little once Diraeus had seen her home. She immediately began rearranging what little furniture she owned to blockade the only door. She also yanked the sheets off her cot to cover the windows, and then she sat leaning against the pile as if her diminutive weight would increase her chances. As the night wore on, Rihana could hear nothing that suggested an army of angry pirates were about to knock down her door and she began to relax.

At one point when she was dozing, she heard a scream and a patter of paws running past that caused her to jolt in alarm. It was only seconds later those sounds faded away, but it kept her awake for the rest of the night.

_Tok, tok, tok!_

Rihana stirred yet again from a doze she didn't realize she'd fallen into, but now she furrowed her brow in confusion. _What is that?_ She thought it sounded familiar, but her sleep-fogged mind couldn't focus on it. She had just slumped back to continue her slumber when it suddenly came to her and she leapt to her paws to start moving her two chairs and dining table.

A familiar voice spoke up from the outside just as she set the first chair down, "Rihana, ye in there?"

"Yes, jus' gimme a minute, Rinault," she called and the knocking faded.

She finally opened the door and found the scarred weasel with an uncharacteristically serious face. She was surprised when he leaned in and glanced around the room with his one good eye. "What?"

"Where's Diraeus?"

She sighed and rolled her eyes. "He's not here!"

"He's a fool."

Rihana smiled. "I sent him home."

"Then yer a fool too," Rinault replied. "Ye shouldn' a stayed by herself. Ye look 'orrible!"

"Thanks, Rinault," she replied as she turned back to start getting ready for the day.

"Wot are ye doin'?

"Ye know I have a stall. Business must go on, 'specially if'n I want to pay me rent. Did the guard catch the pirates at all?" She had never seen him so concerned.

He bristled her words, and then he relaxed when he let out a breath he had been holding, "Aye, the guard rounded 'em all up. They be coolin' their paws in the cell 'til morning', then they be marched straight ta their ship fer cast off. Ne'er to come back."

"Then what's yer worry? I'm safe," she said with a tired grin and opened the door to begin setting up her stall for business.

Rinault sighed and wearily grabbed a crate of oysters and followed her outside. "I know Scylist's dangerous. I ne'er shoulda left ye yesterday."

Rihana set her crate of chicken down and spread her paws in bewilderment. "Ye've never been this concerned about me 'afore last night. Ye went about yer business as usual. Like everybeast should. Don' ye worry yer head over me, Rinault."

"I'm stickin' wit' ye the rest o' the day."

The pine marten turned around to glare at him with another crate in her paws. "Have ye listened to a word that I said?"

"Yes, I have," Rinault replied. "But I'd fret a little less if'n ye had somebeast else. I'm retired from the guard. I'd like to put me idle paws ta better use."

"No, Rinault. I can't afford ye."

"Ye don' pay me nothin'. This jus' be somethin' ta do other 'n twiddle me paws. I'll stay out o' the way, but I shan't be too far," he said.

Rihana sighed. _Stubborn as a boulder, that one. Won't move 'til he wants to. _ _It might be a welcome change though._ She always enjoyed the weasel's company and the store could fall silent for hours on end. She would likely have even less trouble than usual with a burly, scarred fellow like him as guard. By the time she had finished her early morning preparations, she had quite warmed up to the idea of having Rinault and a small smile lit her face.

The smile continued to stay there throughout the majority of the day. Two beasts had turned tail and run when Rinault suddenly appeared by her side and glowered at them with his one good eye.

"Don't mind Rinault, Miss Tursen. He shan't hurt ye. Jus' had a spot o' trouble with some pirates," Rihana said when the weaselmaid eyed the other weasel warily.

"I heard about that! Glad to see ye shan't let those brutes keep ye down. Better luck to ye, Miss Pyren."

"Aye, ye too, Miss Tursen," Rihana waved a paw at her as she vanished into the crowd.

"Rihana!" She turned to see who was calling her and exaggeratedly rolled her eyes and groaned. "Good day, Diraeus. Come t'annoy me at the shop today?"

"Obviously. Ye know me, Rihana. I make a list of errands to run and look right there at the bottom. It says 'Annoy Rihana,'" he said as he tossed the parchment into the air and she snatched it from the top of her stall to read it.

After a moment she slapped the list into his chest and said, "No it didn'!"

He shrugged and asked, "How ye been? Ye look lik yer doin' all right, what wit' Rinault keepin' nearby."

Rinault had materialized at her side yet again and he growled at Diraeus, "I 'ave some words fer ye. Why didn' ye stay wit' Rihana? Somethin' coulda happened!"

Diraeus held his paws up in defense. "Whoa, Rinault, ye don' need ta yell. I agree wit' ye, but Rihana practically shoved me out the door!" They both turned to glare at her.

"Oy, don't ye look at me like that. I survived the night, didn't I?"

"Even so, Rihana, what if something had happened and neither of us were there to help? I can't imagine the hell you would've been put through," Diraeus said and shuddered at the thought.

"She shrugged and repeated her reply from earlier, "Nothin' happened. Ye don't need ta worry yerselves over me."

There was a moment of silence and then Rinault nodded and said, "Yer closin' up shop early on. I'm goin' to teach ye a few tricks."

She scowled in indignation. "I can't close up shop early, lest ye want to foot me rent."

Rinault grinned. "Consider it done then."

Rihana thought her mouth would hit the counter of her stall. "Yer not goin' to pay my way. I don't need yer charity."

"Don't consider it charity then," he replied with a sly grin. "Consider it an investment."

"No, Rinault."

"Oh, go on, Rihana. How many customers do ye got in the last hour o' the day anyway?" Diraeus asked.

"Enough."

"Well, if yer that sore about it, I'll watch yer store for that hour."

"I can't pay ye either."

Diraeus snorted. "Because I really need the money," he replied, rubbing the collar of his silk shirt between two claws.

She sighed, leaning over her stall and she finally said, "Fine. I'll leave me business in Diraeus' paws. Rinault, I t'will not accept yer money." She shoved a claw into the other pine marten's chest. "Don't make me regret leaving me shop to ye."

"Don't ye fret none, Rihana. Everything will be fine."

Still, she hesitated to leave her stall, although she was certain nothing untoward would happen, but a tingle of uncertainty ran up and down her spine. And as she walked away, she couldn't help but look back.

The last hour or so of daylight was spent learning paw-to-paw techniques of self-defense. "Ye 'ave the strength, Rihana. That punch at the bar las' night was impressive, even from where I sat," Rinault said to her with a grin. "But ye need a better plan than to jus' stand there like a fish that surprised to see it outwitted a shark."

Rihana sighed.

"C'mon, Rihana. Ye learn quick 'nough. Better 'n some o' the recruits I've 'ad ta train in me time," Rinault replied. "ye put up wit' me fer the afternoon and I'll break out the swords fer tomorrow."

She opened her mouth to vehemently protest this, but then she swallowed her words with another exasperated sigh and raised her fist yet again. He schooled her in the dogfight of boxing, motioning to always keep her fists up and to dance to the side rather than backward. "Try ta keep from takin' big swings. Jus' quick jabs should get the work done."

"This shan't no honor boxin'. Don' be 'fraid ta use cheap tricks," he said as he stood next to her and kicked up his paw to blow a cloud full of sand into the wind. She followed his action.

"Good. Now, try ta hit me."

She spent the next hour doing her best to even lay a claw on him, only to see him slip out of her grasp as if she was trying to catch fire between her claws. He did his best to keep from hurting her, but by the end she was wiping away blood from a cut lip and her chest ached form a jab to her sternum.

"Very good, Rihana. Sometimes I wonder why there be such taboo to let the ladies into the guard. At times, ye ladies are far quicker on yer paws than many a young slug, so full o' themselves," Rinault said, bouncing on the tips of his claws. The weasel suddenly put a paw to his eye and gazed out toward the sun setting on the sea from the rocky outpost of his own hut and he said, "Well, I think ye should prolly get back to yer store. Don' want ye wanderin' around here alone at night, right, not even ta test yer new found skills. Make Diraeus help you pack up shop."

She chuckled and waved a paw at the weasel as she started down the hill. "Good evenin', Rinault."

"Evenin', miss. I'll be there in the mornin', bright an' early," he called back to her.

Rihana scoffed, "Oh, ye don' need to hang around all the time, Rinault. I'm sure ye have better things to do."

"Not as much as ye might think. Goodnight!" He watched her from his vantage point until she disappeared into the crowd, and then he finally turned and ducked inside.


End file.
